In order to determine whether or not IC chips formed on a wafer by a semiconductor fabrication process are good, a probe device is usually used to inspect the electrical properties. When inspecting the electrical properties of an IC chip using a probe device, the probes must be positioned so as to bring electrode pads on the IC chip into contact with the probes provided on a probe card.
Conventionally, probe positioning is performed by taking an image of the needle tips of the probes using a CCD camera or the like, and determining the positions of the probe tips based on the X-Y coordinate positions at this time. However, with this method, time is required to focus the camera onto the tips of the probes, so that probe positioning can take a long time.
Additionally, while the tips of the probes must be inserted to a certain depth in order to achieve electrical contact between the electrode pads on the IC chip and the probes, the positions of the tips of the probes can sometimes be deflected in a certain direction during insertion. However, in conventional probe positioning methods, the positions of the tips of the probes are determined in a non-contact state, without any consideration of deflection occurring at the time of contact.
In order to overcome the above problems, probe inspection methods and probe inspection devices provided with a material for transcribing probe marks have been proposed, wherein probe marks of the probes are transcribed onto the material and the probes are positioned on the basis of the transcribed probe marks.
For example, in Patent Document 1, probe marks of a plurality probes of a probe card are transcribed onto a deformable material before inspection, and the depths of insertion of the probes into the electrodes are calculated on the basis of the size of the probe mark apertures, thereby reducing the time necessary to position the probes.
Additionally, Patent Document 2 proposes an inspection method and inspection device wherein a support is provided inside a probe inspection device, a sheet for making probe marks is provided on the support, and the probes are positioned on the basis of the transcribed probe marks.
Additionally, Patent Document 3 proposes a probe mark evaluation method wherein an image of probe marks transcribed by a probe mark evaluating wafer is obtained, and the imaged probe marks are superimposed onto virtual electrode pads.
Additionally, Patent Document 4 describes a method wherein probes are brought into contact with a probe position adjusting film composed of an elastomeric composition to form marks, the positional relationship between these marks and the electrode portions of an integrated circuit are observed, and the positions of probes are adjusted based on this positional relationship.
Additionally, Patent Document 5 describes a method wherein a transparent film is applied over a detection substrate on which electrodes are formed, and the positions of probe marks transcribed onto the transparent film and the positions of electrodes on the substrate are compared to position the probes at a high precision without affecting the repeated precision of stage movement.
However, while Patent Document 1 describes heating the deformable material to efface the probe marks for reuse, only low-melting point metals, alloys or organic insulators are suggested as possible materials for the deformable material, and there is no indication of specific materials and heating conditions for achieving reuse. Additionally, in Patent Document 2, the transcription positions of probe marks must be moved each time a plurality of probe marks are transcribed, and there is a limit to the number of repetitions. Furthermore, if the probes are displaced from certain positions, they may overlap with previously transcribed probe marks. Additionally, there is no description of any methods for reusing the sheet aside from moving the probe mark transcription positions.
Additionally, Patent Documents 3 and 4 do not mention reuse of the probe mark transcription materials. In particular, in Patent Document 4, the probe marks are provided with heat resistance so that the probe marks will not disappear, so it is difficult to remove the probe marks for reuse.
Additionally, in Patent Document 5, the detection substrate can be reused by reducing the adhesiveness of the transparent film by irradiation with UV rays to remove the film, but there is no description of the method of reusing the transparent film.    Patent Document 1: JP2001-189353A    Patent Document 2: JP2004-327805A    Patent Document 3: JP2007-200934A    Patent Document 4: JP2005-308549A    Patent Document 5: US2007/0229098A